Improvement in processes and apparatus for extracting essential oils



GEORGE GlLMAN PERCIVAL. Improvement in Process and Apparatus forExtracting Essential Oils. N 12959 Patented Nov- 7,1871.

V flfnesses lnvenfor @405, dim; A fm x WM 72M UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

GEORGE GILMAN PEROIVAL, OF WATERVILLE, MAlNE.

IMPROVEMENT IN PROCESSES AND APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING ESSENTIAL UILS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 120,596, dated November7, 1871; antedated November 4, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE GILMAN PEROI- VAL, of Waterville, in thecounty of Kennebec and State of Maine, have invented certainImprovements in the Art or Process and in Apparatus for ExtractingEssential Oils, of which the following is a specification.

The first three parts of this invention relate to improvements in theart or process of extracting essential oils; and the other six partsrelate to combinations of various mechanical devices for accomplishingthe first-thus: First, instead of distilling the oil direct from thecharge I transfer the oil from charge to water by percolation,lixiviation, or hot infusion, and then extract the oil from thismenstruum by distillation in an other apparatus or another part of sameapparatus. Second, I produce an artificial circulation of water in thestill-body, or increase the natural circulation by pumps, jets of steam,or a 'monzey'us. Third, I cause the water which extracts the oil tromcharge to extract oil from two or more charges in separate stills eachtime it is distilled. The fourth part relates to combining a singlestillbody, or a series of still -bodies for holding charges, with astill for liquids in such a manner that water impregnated with oil inthe former may be distilled in the latter. The fifth part relates tocombining a pump or montej-us with the last-named combination in such amanner that the pump shall force water through both. The sixth partrelates to combining a pump or montejus with a single still-body, or aseries of still-bodies, in such a manner that the pump shall cause orincrease currents of water in one or more bodies. The seventh partrelates to so combining a series of stillbodies that water must passthrough two or more of them each time it passes to liquid-still oroil-extractor. The eighth part relates to the combination of a still anda device for spreading water over top of charge. The ninth part relatesto the combination of a still with a boiler with a labyrinthine bottom.

By the first part of this invention I am enabled to perform the act ofdistillation itself upon a liquid instead of upon a solid, or a solidand liquid together, and in smaller and cheaper vessels, and to use inthis distillation many modilications of spirit and other liquid stillswhich are not applicable to the extraction of oils direct from thesolids. I am also enabled to render the distillation more continuous,and to lessen the danger of empyreumatic products. By the second Iincrease the percentage of oil in dis tillate, and by the third savetime or fuel. The main object of the whole invention is economy of costof apparatus, and of time and fuel in running, and, incidentally, thecheapness and simplicity with which a species of vacuum-still can beconstructed. While retaining most if not all of the advantages of waterdistillation by direct fire I am enabled to substitute for expensivecopper stills, each with its own fire-place. a series of wooden or othercheap tanks, of such shape as to be easily loaded and unloaded, and tomake one comparatively small distilling apparatus answer for all. As Ican run several charges simultaneously with the same Water, or use lesswater for a fixed amount of charge, or keep up a brisk and continuouscirculation with a slow or intermittent fire, both time and fuel aresaved. Moreover, having plenty of space in the stillbodies, and notbeing obliged to fill them with water when I am distilling such chargesas cedar, spruce, hemlock, &c., 1 need not cut the branches up fine.

Figure 1 represents a front elevation of an apparatus for extractingessential oils, constructed according to my invention 5 Fig. 1 a plan ofsame; Fig. 1 a side elevation of same, one tank in section; Fig. 2, afront elevation of modification; Fig. 2, an enlarged section ofoil-extractor B, Fig. 2; Fig. 3, a front elevation of a11- othermodification; Fig. 4, a front elevation of another modification; Fig. 5,a section of another modification; Fig. 6, a section of anothermodification.

According tothe first part of this invention, instead of boiling thecharge in water, as in the oldfashioned still, or passing steam throughit, either with or without water surrounding it, as is practiced withmany herbs, I extract the oil from the charge by water, (which may notor may have some chemicals, such as salt, sugar, hydrochloric acid, &c.,mixed with it, by percolation, lixiviation, or hot infusion. I then passthis water containing the oil into another apparatus, or another part ofsame apparatus, contact with air being prevented, and there extract theoil from it by distillation, by steam, or direct heat. If necessary,Ireturn this heated water to still-body to extract fresh portions ofoil, and then redistill. I so proceed lmtil the charge is exhausted,when charge is removed from still-body. The

hot Water can be used with fresh charges, if desired. Steam does notnecessarily pass through charge. This'is one distinguishing feature ofthis part of the invention. In reference to the second part I mentionthe well-known fact that, when we extract essential oils by placingcharge in water and allowing steam from a boiler to bubble up throughthe water and the charge both, or when I extract oil from certain greenvegetables, (e. g.,' gaultheric procumbeus,) or from almost any dryvegetables, by placing in a cucurbit or tank and passing steam from aboiler up through charge, the percentage of oil in distillate is muchsmaller than when I place the same vegetable in common still with waterand boil charge and water together by fire, or steamjackets or coils.Many experiments have convinced me that this greater percentage in thelatter process of distillation is due chiefly to the greater circulationof water in the old-fashioned still. These experiments have also shownthat the percentage of oil in the distillate in both the two formerprocesses may be much increased by causing currents of water (above theusual amount) in the still by mechanical means, such as pumps,steam-jets, or by a monte-jus.

In all the figures, A represents the still-body or vessel in which thecharge is placed. B represents the oil-extractor or device in which theoil is extracted from the water containing it. It is a species of stillsuitable for liquids, worked by direct heat or steam. G is the pump ormontajus, or other mechanical device, for imparting motion to or liftingthe water used to extract the oil.

Similar letters represent corresponding parts.

The single-barbed arrows represent direction of water; double-barbedones of simple steam; tripple-barbed ones of steam laden with vapor ofoil. The sign indicates aclosed stop-cock. The sign an open one.

Description of Fig. l: A A and A A represent two series of wooden tanks,of any convenient size. Only two are represented in each series, but Ican have any number, from one to a dozen or more. I will consider them,internally, six feet high, five feet'wide at top, and

'four feet at bottom. They should be made of sound well-seasonedtwo-inch pine or hemlock plank, and properly hooped. The bottom ofseries A A is ,four feet higher than top of series A A. Each tank (theyare allhimilar) is provided with a false bottom, a, supported two inchesabove true bottom, and pierced with many half -inch holes. a is coveredwith a sheet of brass or copper wire-cloth, of suficient fineness toprevent any portion of charge from passing through. Sometimes it may bedesirable to place over this a layer of coarse crash towelstuff. b isthe cover to tank. It is removable, and can be rendered tight by packingwith oakum. It should be fastened down when using. It has two ring-boltsfor convenience in handling. A short one and a half-inch pipe, 0,provided with a cock, proceeds from side of tank under false bottom a topipe cl, leading to oilextractor B, or to pipe 01 leading to pump 0.

The inner end of O is provided with a strainer of large area, so that noleaves, 850., can enter 0. There is a three-fourths inch tube, 6, (notshown in Fig. 1, but a similar one is shown in Fig. 2,) for permittingegress or ingress of air to tank when cover is on. One end is connectedwith tube m leading to cooler, and the other is closed, but sendsbranches f f, each provided with a cock, to each tank, entering it justunder cover. Under the cover b is the spreader or sprinkler D. Itconsists in this case of a revolving horizontal tube g, closed at theends, and supplied with water at the center. Holes are. pierced onopposite sides near the ends, so that the reaction ofv the waterescaping shall cause the tube to revolve in a contrary direction, sameas Hieros steam-engine, or Barkers centrifugal mill. Close under this,and also supported by the cover, is a disk of strong wire-cloth, h, toprevent charge from interfering with revolution. Any other device may beadopted which shall spread water over top of charge. iis a tube fastenedfirmly to cover b and bent at right angles. One end is attached to thehollow arbor on which 9 revolves, and the other is connected by agas-tube union with a cock inserted inside oftube is coming from pump 0,or tube 70 coming from oil-extractor B. Size of these pipes one and ahalf inch. llll are water-gauges. Each still has a waste-plug, notshown. B is the oil-extractor. It consists, in this case, of a boilerwith a labyrinthine bottom, preferably of sheet-copper, nine feet long,forty-five inches wide, and fourteen inches high on the vertical sides.The cover is provided with a tube, m, leading to cooler, not shown 5also, with a man-hole for cleaning, and a siphontube for adding water,when desired; neither shown. As this boiler cannot be subjected to much,if any, pressure, when cooler is properly supplied with cold water, itneed not be very strong nor heavy. The inside is furnished withtransverse partitions, thirteen inches high and six inches apart,extending nearly across, and placed alternately, as in maple-sugarevaporator-s, so as to give the liquid fiowing through it a zigzagdirection. (See plan.) It is heated by a fire, and is placed on an arch,not shown in drawin g. (It may be heated by a steam-coil or jacketplaced underneath; in which case, if desired, the condensed water may bedischarged into pipe k.) The boiler receives water by tube d anddischarges it by pipe k. A continuous stream flows through it. N is asliding overflow-tube, by whichthe amount of water remaining in theboiler may be regulated. It is moved by handle 0 passing throughsteam-tight packing in top of B. A small boiler could have coverattached by waterjoint, and glycerine could be used to fill it. There isa water-gauge in B, not shown. C is a brass force-pump suitable for hottan-liquor, capable of pumping, say, about twenty-five gallons perminute. It is better to have it run by power and continually whiledistillation is going on. p is an overflow-tube, by which I can regulatethe amount of water raised without varying speed of pump. 0 pumps watervia (1 from tanks A A, and forces it via tube k into spreader D in tanksA A. Where the pump is worked by hand and intermittently, the pump andthe tubes 61 and k, and their branches, may be larger. 9 is a pipe, withcock, connecting tube It with pipe (1. It is seldom used.

All pipes should be, preferably, of well-tinned copper, and wellprotected from loss of heat by radiation by covering with somenon-conducting medium. It is also advantageous to incase the tanks withsome non-conductor.

The external ends of d, k, and k maybe closed or furnished with cocksand terminate in tanks for the tea. d may terminate in a well orcistern, to supply pump with water when desired.

To use: Fill tanks with charge, e. g.,teaberry leaves,) packing down asfirmly as possible, and putting weights on top. Then close cocks inpipes c c and fill with water; let macerate sufficiently, then draw offwater in lower series A A, reserving forj'uture use in upper series, ifdesired; put on covers, and connect tubes i i with cocks in sides oftubes 70 and k by means of unions start fire and let water run from sometank in upper series-say No. 3--through boiler B into N o. 2, with sucha rapidity as to be heated to about 90 Fahrenheit, and start pump 0,regulating amount pumped by overflow-tube p. The Water passes from pump0 up tube It and branch 2', and sprinkler D in tank No. 3, and issprinkled over charge, and percolates through charge, and then passes bybranch 0 and pipe at to boiler B, where it is more or less heated, andpasses thence, 'v'ia overflow-tube n, and tube 70, and branch 6, andspreader D, in tank No. 2, and percolating charge passes vice d to pump0 again. The arrows show the above-described direction of water. In alittle while the water and both charges are heated to 212 or thereabout,and the water dissolves more or less oil in its passage through thecharges. Now, if I have only these two tanks to exhaust I continue on inthe same manner. The water containing oil is boiledin boilerB, and steamI laden with vapor of oil passes via m to cooler,which is similar tothose in ordinary use. After the water in B has been boiled itpercolates two tanks, viz., No.2 and No. 3, before it comes again toboiler to be reboiled. I continue on in this manner till charges areexhausted, regulating the flow by the cock in 0 in upper tank, so as toobtain the greatest percentage of oil in distillate. This flow will, ofcourse, depend upon the tire and nature of charge. Where I have four ormore charges to exhaust at one running I heat up two of them, and thenlet them infuse while I am heating two more, and then distillalternately. After two stills have been exhausted the heated water canbe used with two more stills which have been properly macerated; butperhaps there is a slight loss of oil in using water over. Where I havea large series and plenty of power, and run charges alternately, I mayhave an extra pump with suitable pipes and cooks, and keep up acirculation in the tanks which I am infusing. These stills, whenproperly protected from loss of heat, do not cool quickly, but they canbe easily unloaded hot by a harpoon-fork. I use one suspended fi'om asmall crane, and empty a still charged with cedar boughs in from two tofour forks full, and in about five minutes.

I may, of course, disso ve'chemicals, such as salt, &c., in the water,but I obtain very satisfactory results using water alone. If I wish toclean the apparatus to use for other oils, put water in tanks andproceed as before.

I can easily convert one of the upper tanks into an effective kind ofvacuum-still even without packing it tight. To do this the boiler shouldbe, of course, sufficiently strong to resist the pressure, and should beof an arch shape. Then, if I connect a receiver and an air-pump toextreme end of cooler, and shut off all lower tanks and open cock intube q, I have a vacuum-still, of course closing tube 6, not shown indrawing.

To use: Start the air-pump, and regulate cock in c and pump 0 so thatthe pump shall pump out water from boiler as fast as it is sucked invia. tube 0. Proceed as before. There is a vacuum in boiler, andwaterboils at, say, 150. This water passes from boiler m'a pump to tankA, and then percolates charge- There is no vacuum in this tank, butwater at 150, or even at 120, will extract more or less oil from chargewhich it carrics to boiler B, and there give it ofi, and then goes backfor more oil. In using this still as first above described I make use ofall three parts of my improvement in the act or process, viz.: Itransfer oil to water in A or A, and extract it from the water inseparate vessel, 13. I cause currents in A by means of pump 0, and Isimultaneously extract oil from two charges, viz., those in No. 2 andNo. 3, with the same water.

Modifications: I may, of course, vary the mechanical arrangements, theprinciples remaining the same. I may vary the construction of the tanksA A or the manner in which a series are connected, or the oil-extractorB, or the watermover G. Again,I can construct modifications in which allthree of my improvements in the art or process may not be used, and inwhich all the combinations I claim may not be used. I will mention someof the modifications of the three principal parts A, B, and G, and thendescribe some modifications of whole apparatus. The tank A, instead ofbeing arranged for percolation, may be arranged for infusion andexpression, as in Fig. 4., where it is a large press. In Fig. 1 I mayhave three or more series of tanks on as "many difi'erent levels, or Imay have only one series, substituting a tank or reservoir for foreither series. Or if the pump is worked continuously I may dispense witheither series, pumping directly fi'om or into boiler B. I may runsimultaneously a series of tanks on same level as shown in Fig. 2. I mayhave 13 as in Fig. 2, where it is a modification of an alcoholdistilling column, or as in Fig. 3, where it consists of two parts,viz., a common boiler and a separator; or as in Fig. 4., where it is atank with steam admitted in rose-jet in bottom. I may substitute acentrifugal pump for O, as in Figs. 5 and 6, or a montcjus, as in Fig.4.

Description of Fig.2: In this modification the series of tanks is on thesame level, and I exumn is not in use.

tract the oil from the water by steam instead of direct heat. (A Atanks; B, oil-extractor; 0, pump, as before.) The tanks are similar tothose in Fig. 1, save that they have no spreaders D. The water enterstank from preceding tank or from pump 0, via tube is, by means of ashort tube, '5, inserted in left-hand side near top, and leaves tank bya tube, 0, near bottom on right hand. d is a tube leading tooil-extractor, and 7c tube from pump. A short branch, furnished with acock, connects tube 70 with each tube A similar branch with a cockconnects tube 61 with each tube 0. Moreover, a tube-furnished cockconnects tube 0 of each tank with tube L' of next right-hand tank. Thetube 0 of extreme right-hand tank is connected with tube 2' of extremeleft-hand tank. All tubes are two inches in diameter. Only four tanksare represented in drawing, but I can have more. e is a tube sending abranch, f, to each tank as near cover as possible, and terminating inpipe m leading to cooler. Its object is to allow air to escape from orto fill tanks. Each tank has a water-gauge and a waste-plug. Theoil-extractor B is alnodification of the alcohol-distilling column andcorresponds to what I believe is called the analyser. The water from thestill-tanks enters at the top by tube at and passes from bottom to pump(3, by which it is forced up to repercolate two or more charges beforecoming to B again. B consists of two parts, the column F and thereservoir or boiler G, shown in enlarged section in Fig. 2*. F has tenplunging chambers sixteen inches in diameter, each provided with fourplunging tubes and a two-inch overflow-tube, reaching about four inchesabove partition or floor and extending to nearly bottom of next lowerchamber. Each floor has a small hole, so that all liquid may escape fromthe bottom when the col- The nine lower chambers are each eight or teninches high, and the upper one about twenty-two inches. The water entersthe upper chamber from a rose-jet, 1", attached to end of tube 01, andfrom this chamber the pipem proceeds to cooler. This chamber is largerthan the others, and the first portion of m is large and vertical, toallow any water mechanically mixed with steam to settle. The column maybe in four parts and held together by bolts. The inner plungertubes aretwo inches in diameter and six or eight inches long; the outer tubesthree inches in diameter and same length. The reservoir G is two and ahalf feet square and eighteen inches high. It has a water-gauge andsliding overflowtube n, of which 0 is the handle. 8 is a one andonefourth inch pipe from a steam-boiler, not shown. It forms a flat coilon floor of G, and is pierced with many small holes to break up steam. Gis connected with the lower chamber in E by overflow and plunging tubes.0 is a pump as before, but may be a little larger. When in use the steampasses up the column and taking the oil from the descending watercarries it to cooler m'a m. A branch of pipe is may terminate inwater-tank. B should be protected from loss of heat. I can case it inwood and fill interveningspace with sawdust. All tubes and the tanksalso should .in B so as to obtain the richest distillate.

be protected. If reservoir G is larger the pump need not be workedcontinuously.

To use: Suppose all four tanks to be properly macerated, and A and A tobe full, and A to be half full of water of maceration, A to contain nowater. Arrange cocks, as shown in drawing, where the sign indicates aclosed cock and the sign an open one. The water from A passes along tube(1 to column and filling each chamber four inches high overflows to nextlower chamber. When water reaches G, and overflows sliding overflow-tuben I start the pump 0, regulating the amount raised by means of theoverflow-tube 19 so as to maintain water at the desired height in G.Then let on steam. The water will be gradually warmed, and will beforced up and discharged into upper left-hand side of tank A and as thistank is already full it will overflow from bottom of A by pipe 0 intopipe z near top of A A in a similar manner overflows into A, from whichthe water will pass again to B. In the course of time all this waterwill be heated to boiling point, and then steam richly laden with vaporof oil Will pass along pipe on to cooler. In the course of time A willbe exhausted. Now, to throw this tank out and add a fresh one to thoseundergoing distillation I open cock, a1- lowing water to pass from k toA and shut it off from A I then close cock opening from A to K and openthat in tube connecting 0 in A withi of A The tank A remains full ofwater, but I allow this to flow direct into d, and turning down or offsteam, pump the water rapidly into A m'a B. I may let on a little steamduring this pumping, to prove if A is fairly exhausted. IVhen'A is emptylet A flow into d and proceed as before. In this arrangement I exhaustthree charges at once, but am obliged to have nearly three tanks of hotwater to do it. However, after I have once heated the water I can use itto exhaust a dozen tanks. When distilling, regulate the flow of steamand water If Water is supplied fast and any oil remains in it afterpassing through B it is not lost, but is brought back toB again. Ifsteam is in excess there is merely a Waste of fuel. Where the tank andpipes are not well protected from loss of heat pipe 01 may be longer andform a coil in a steam-chamber, where all water passing through it, whendistillation is going on, can be heated to 212 orthereabout before beingdischarged from rose-jet r. The steam coming from pipe m will answer forthis purpose, and the steamchamber can be placed on column F. Thereservoir G may be a boiler itself, the column being placed over it,thus dispensing with a separate boiler. I may arrange a series of stillbodies, A A, on same level with a pump, 0, and spreader D to each still,so arranged that the pumps will keep a more vigorous circulation; but itis too expensive.

Description of Fig. 3: In this there is a modification of theoil-separator B, and it is so constructed that I can dispense with thepump after the water-has become heated. A is one of a series of tankssimilar to AA, Fig. 1; d, a two inch pipe, corresponds to d, m to m, andk to k, Fig. l; e to 6, Fig. 2. O is a force-pump with valves reversedi.0., so constructed that it will force water downward, and so that acontinuous stream of water may flow down 0 when it is not worked, andthe valve will act as a checkvalve to prevent its return. Theoil-extractor consists of two parts, H and I. H is a vertical tubularboiler, exposing about ten square feet of surface to fire, and ofcomparatively small capacity, say seventy-five gallons. It need have nogauge-cock, and need not be very heavy. It should have a man-hole forcleaning. It is placed lower than the bottom of A, and should not holdover half the quantity of water usually used in distilling a charge. Itmaybe so small as to hold only a sixth. I is the separator, where thesteam and water separate. It may be of copper or wood, about the size ofa large barrel, and well protected from loss of heat. t is a threeinchtube connecting H with I. The upper end rises into the middle of I, andis provided witha valve-cap, which rises when water or steam isdischarged, and deflects the water against sides and bottom of I, andcloses when there is a vacuum in H.

To use: The charge in A being properly macerated, start a brisk fireunder H and force down water into it. This water will be more or'lessheated, and, rising into I, will back to A. When water reaches boilingpoint we can stop the pump, for the steam generated in H will rise intoI, carrying with it much water, from whence steam will pass to coolerand water to A. The pump can be arranged so as to pump the water up fromH while heating, instead of .forcing it down, gravity refilling it. (Ipresume the above-described combination of H and A is covered by mypatent of January 17, 1871. If so, I do not here claim it, but introducethe figure to illustrate various parts of my invention.)

Description of Fig. 4: In this I transfer the oil to the water byinfusion and expression, and raise the water by a montejus. A representsa section of one of a series of still-bodies, each constructed so as tobe used as a sort of press. It is six feet high and three and a halffeet wide, sides vertical, strong, and thick, and the whole well hooped.There is a lining of sound one-inch boards, pierced with many holes, andchanneled down the back. U is a press-block, forced down by a screwworking in a female screw in a beam overhead. (1 is a pipe tooil-extractor B; 0, airpipe, not shown. B may be a strong copper orwooden cylinder of capacity equal to A, with a rose-jet at bottom,connected by pipe 8 with steam-boiler. The pipe m to cooler is providedwith a cock or gate. B has water-guage, as has each tank.

To use: Let charge macerate, then let water down into B and heat bysteam from rose-jet. When heated close cock in m, and water is forcedback into A via d, the air escaping by pipe k. (I

- can have an additional pipe, la, if desired.) Then heat water for nexttank, the first one infusing in the mean time. Then, having forced waterback to second tank, let down that from first and distill. Then forceback to infuse longer, and in the mean time distill watcr'in the second.Of course I can have B a boiler instead of a tank with steam-jet.

' Description of Fig. 5: This is a combination of a pump with anordinary steam-still to illustrate second or sixth part of invention. Ais one of a series of still-bodies similar to A, Fig. 1, save that it isseven and a half feet high, and false bottom a-is about twenty inchesabove true bottom. The cover b is in two parts, in the smaller of whichis the pipe at to cooler; this part being permanent. The larger isremovable and has spreader D, consisting in this case of a vertical jetimpinging upon a horizontal plate, with a small cone in center. Thesteam-pipe s terminates in a rose-jet close under false bottom A. O is asmall centrifugal pump fed by d, and throwing water along k.

To use: Have water about one foot high in bottom, start pump, and let onsteam. The distillate is much richer when pump is used than when it isnot, and I can use herbs so dry that steam alone is not suitable. Aftera thorough drenching with warm water steam extracts the oil morereadily, even when pump is not running; therefore I can use one pumpwith a large series, running pump on each intermittently. With someherbs it may be desirable to fill the still nearly full of water. Withthis arrangement-i. a, still full of water-there is a decided increaseof oil in distillate when pump runs. Of course other water-raisers maybe used.

Description of Fig. 6: This consists of a com bination of a centrifugalpump, G, with an ordinary still, the object being to save time or fuel.A slower fire can be used or a richer distillate obtained.

In the foregoing specification Ihave described the three below-mentionedimprovements connected with the art of extracting essence of oil, whichI do not here claim but I do not abandon them. I reserve to myself theright to make subsequent application for patent. First, the mode ofunloading hot stills by harpoon-forks; second, the vacuum-still; thirdthe improvement in the art or process by simultaneously orintermittently passing steam and water through charge.

I am not aware whether essential oils have or have not been extracted bypercolating with alcohol and distilling this alcohol. I limit my firstclaim, the using water, which may or may not contain chemicals, anddistilling this water in separate vessels or apparatus, or separate partof same vessels or apparatus. In a patent for improvements in apparatusfor extracting essence of oils,issued to me January 17,1871,No. 110,998,I described stills where currents of water were caused or produced byjets or currents of steam. I did not there claim any improvement in theart or process, but merely a combination of a device called a heater,with a still. In this heater the currents were produced by jets orcurrents of steam, not by pumps. I do not wish in this presentapplication to claim anything covered by the claim in said patent; but,should the claim he in any way conflicting, the claim in said patent isin all cases to take precedence, and the claims in this application tobe considered in the light of subsequent improvements. I do not hereclaim, in itself, any form of tank A nor, in itself, any form ofoil-extractor B; nor any form of pump 0.

I claim the three following improvements in the art or process ofextracting essential oils, each substantially as and for the purposehereinbefore described-- 1. Extracting the oil from charge in thestillbody by water, and the subsequent separation of the oil from thisWater by distillation in separate vessels or apparatus, or separateparts of same vessel or apparatus.

2. The producing or increasing currents of Water in stillbodies bypumps.

3. Exhaustin g two or more charges in separate vessels at once by thesame water, and using but one distilling apparatus.

4. The combination of a single still-body, A,

or a series of still-bodies, A A, with a pump, 0,

or its equivalent.

5. The combination of a single still-body, A, or of a series ofstill-bodies, A A, with an oilextractor, B, or its equivalent.

6. The combination of a single still-body, A, or of a series ofstill-bodies, A A, with a pump, (J, or its equivalent, and anoil-eXtractor,B, or its equivalent. A7. The combination of a series ofstill-bodies,

v8. The combination of a stillbody, A, and a spreader, D, or itsequivalent. I

9. The combination of a still-body, A, with a boiler with a labyrinthinebottom, all substantially as and for the purpose specified.

GEORGE GILMAN PEROIV AL.

Witnesses ISABEL B. PERcIvAL, JAMES H. PLAISTED. (47)

